Say no to dry skin this winter

As temperatures fall; coupled with the outdoor cold air, hot showers, and central heating, the skin's moisture levels decrease, resulting in a dry and irritated skin barrier

Dry skin and flaky skin are common issues for all skin types during the cold weather and dealing with them can be a real challenge.

Fortunately, there are lots of things you can do to help combat dryness and also hydrate and soothe the skin's barrier here at Dermacare Direct. To give you a helping hand, we’ve created a routine within this blog that is incredibly easy to follow and has everything you need to keep skin soft, supple, and hydrated this season. We spoke to the skin experts on how to keep your face looking and feeling its best this cold season and ways to improve your winter skincare routine.

 

Cleansing Is Essential

Cleansing is essential all year round. We always recommend avoiding any face cleansers which contain drying ingredients such as artificial fragrances and/or additives. These products can irritate, especially when your skin is already compromised. As an alternative, switch to a fragrance-free cream or oil-based cleanser which is much more nourishing, as part of your daily skincare routine to offer much-needed hydration.

We love:

Priori Gentle Cleanser LCA Fx110 

A gentle option that also contains PHA's (Poly Hydroxy Acid) so you can gain the added benefits of gentle exfoliation, as well as deep cleansing.

iS Clinical Cream Cleanser

It will deep cleanse and nourish your skin, leaving it hydrated enough to stay smooth all day long!

If your skin is super thirsty, consider using a cleansing oil to dissolve dirt and make-up without drying out the skin.

• PCA Skin Daily Cleansing Oil
• Eminence Organic Stone Crop Cleansing Oil

 

Increase The Exfoliation 

Exfoliation is an important part of any skincare regime. Primarily, exfoliation helps to remove the dead skin cells on the outer surface of the skin and this process helps for better penetration of other skincare products that follow so they can work to their optimal level.

During the winter months, exfoliation is even more important as it sloughs off any dead skin cells and dry patches to banish dull skin and reveal a glowing complexion. Exfoliating around 2 to 3 times per week is ideal.

We love:

• Dermatx Microdermabrasion System for different skin concerns: 
• Brighten - for pigmentation/anti-ageing 
• Clarify - for blemish-prone skin & enlarge pores
•  Rejuvenate - for normal, dry & sensitive

Perfect for everyone, even sensitive skin types, a physical exfoliator that uses professional grade crystals to remove dull skin and improve the overall appearance. Loaded with Lactic Acid, this accelerates skin cell turnover and stimulates collagen production.

Exfoliating peels for different skin concerns:

• Eminence Organic Clear Skin Willow Bark Exfoliating Peel - for blemish-prone skin
• Eminence Organic Calm Skin Chamomile Exfoliating Peel - for normal/sensitive skin
• Eminence Organic Bright Skin Licorice Root Exfoliating Peel - for pigmentation/anti-ageing 

A results-driven peel from organic brand Eminence Organic. This product works on brightening the skin and effectively reducing pigmentation over time.

"My esthetician recommended Eminence Organic Bright Skin Licorice Root Exfoliating Peel to use as a booster treatment to target my pigmentation. I love all of the Eminence Bright skin range products. I would definitely recommend it!"

Treat Your Skin Barrier

Winter is a great time to give your skin some much-needed TLC and incorporate targeted serums and boosters. Products containing Hyaluronic Acid should be on the top of your skincare shopping list as the ingredients are a powerful humectant to retain moisture from the air and hold it onto your skin’s surface to deliver deep, lasting hydration.

We love:

Medik8 Hydr8 B5

This pure Hyaluronic Acid serum is an ultra-lightweight formula that quickly absorbs and is created to increase skin moisture levels and retain water. Not only that, you can expect to quickly soothe stressed, irritated skin.

or for Hydration & plumping go for Medik8 Hydr8 B5 Intense

 

For something a little more intense, you could try using an overnight mask for hydrating your skin while you sleep. You will then wake up with super smooth, plumped, and mega revitalised skin!

We love:

• SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Masque
•  PCA Skin Hyaluronic Acid Overnight Mask

 

Don't Forget The Moisturiser

No matter what your skin type is, even very oily skin types, every skin needs a daily moisturiser. When the temperature drops, the cold strips your skin of the essential moisture it needs to stay supple. Swap your moisturising lotion for a nourishing moisturiser that replenishes moisture and repairs your skin’s lipid barrier. Dermatologists recommend looking out for moisturisers that contain Shea Butter, Fatty Acids and Ceramides which will help skin lock in moisture, reduce redness and maintain its protective barrier.

We love:

SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2

A Dermacare Direct favourite, you can rely on this deep moisture cream to reduce dryness but also plump and hydrate. The perfect base before applying makeup.

Have You Tried A Mist?

Face mists are a new must-have within the beauty industry. Later in the day, the skin can appear dry, dehydrated, and dull. To perk it back up, a hydrating facial mist will do the trick. Face mists are a one-product wonder that won’t tamper with your make-up but will rehydrate and calm irritated skin, restoring it to its normal, naturally glowing self. 

We love:

• iS CLINICAL Copper Firming Mist  - Offering instant hydration, anti-oxidant protection from environmental aggressors, and firming properties, all these benefits make it the perfect all-rounder mist.
• Colorescience Hydrating Mist  - Perfect to refresh and fix your makeup throughout the day, mist this whenever you need a quick pick me up.

 

Don't Forget The Sunscreen Either!

Sunscreen isn't just for the warmer months... Just because it is winter, it doesn’t mean you should put away your sunscreen. Although there is less UVB around in winter, levels of UVA are still significant enough to age our skin and cause fine lines and wrinkles.  Therefore, it’s important to continue to wear an SPF on your face, neck, and anywhere else on the body that is exposed.

We love:

SkinCeuticals Ultra Facial Defense SPF 50

A nourishing UVA/UVB sunscreen ideal for dry winter skin with its high concentration of Shea Butter.

Dermaceutic K Ceutic SPF 50

A moisturiser rich in active ingredients like Vitamin E, Vitamin C and Shea Butter that effectively repair, moisture, soothe and protect the skin barrier.

 

Winter can be harsh on our face and body skin, but with a few expert tips and the right products, you can keep your face looking and feeling its best. We hope you’ve found these tips helpful, and if you have any questions or concerns about your own facial skin health, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. In the meantime, we highly recommend trying some of the products we featured in this blog post – they’ve helped us combat dry facial skin during winter and kept our skin healthy all season long.